1. Area of the Art
The invention relates generally to sample handling mechanisms for automated chemical analyzers, and specifically to a sample presentation unit for automated immunodiagnostic instruments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automated chemical analyzers and automated immunodiagnostic instruments are widely used in clinical chemistry sampling and analyzing applications, and often involve the presentation of samples for performing various assays. Many automated analyzers and immunodiagnostic instruments require automated loading systems for sample presentation. Therefore, some of the requirements of the sample loading system are that the system has a common appearance and functionalities, and is adaptable or easily modifiable to adapt to various immunodiagnostic instruments.
Another requirement of an automated sample loading system is that the system must be able to quickly detect a motor jam during operation to avoid mistakes or damages to the samples.
In addition, it is a requirement of an automated sample loading system to read sample identifications often presented in bar code labels ahead of time to allow information to be downloaded from the common host computer that controls the operation of the immunodiagnostic instrument.
While many mechanisms have been developed for handling samples, they all have certain limitations and therefore cannot satisfy all of the requirements and needs addressed by the present invention. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a new system for presenting samples for processing and analyzing by the immunodiagnostic instruments.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for presenting samples to automated chemical analyzers.
The objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in a sample presentation unit by having a sample rack onload section, a sample rack presentation section, and a sample rack offload section all connected as one unit.
The sample rack onload section has an elongated rail having a distal end and a proximal end, an onload pusher driven by an onload motor and movable along the rail for moving the sample racks placed on the rail towards the proximal end of the rail, and an onload sensor located adjacent to the proximal end of the rail of the sample rack onload section for detection of motion errors or jams of the onload moving mechanism.
The sample rack presentation section has a transfer area connected to the proximal end of the rail of the sample rack onload section for receiving the sample racks from the sample rack onload section, a sample presentation area adjacent to the automated analyzer for presenting sample racks for aspiration, an alignment mechanism for precise positioning of sample tubes, a presentation tray driven by a presentation motor and movable between the transfer area and the presentation area for simultaneously moving a multiplicity of the sample racks from the transfer area to the presentation area for sample aspiration and subsequently moving the multiplicity of the sample racks from the presentation area back to the transfer area after sample aspiration, and a presentation sensor located at the presentation area of the sample rack presentation section for the detection of motion errors or jams of the presentation moving mechanism.
The sample rack offload section has an offload area connected to the transfer area of the sample rack presentation section for receiving the sample racks from the sample rack presentation section after sample aspiration, an offload pusher driven by an offload motor for moving the sample racks received from the sample rack presentation section to a sample rack offload tray, and an offload sensor located at the offload queue area of the sample rack offload section for the detection of motion errors or jams of the offload moving mechanism.
The sample presentation unit of the present invention may also have a bar code reader located adjacent to the transfer area of the sample rack presentation section for obtaining the identification of the sample racks prior to presenting the sample racks to the automated analyzer for aspiration.
Such an arrangement has been found to provide a number of advantages. As explained in greater detail below, the sample presentation unit of the present invention is a modular system that can be moved away to provide access to other components of the automated analyzer. Since the entire system can be moved together, all alignment information will stay intact.
The modular system design of the sample presentation unit of the present invention also provides a common appearance and functionalities, and is adaptable or easily modifiable to adapt to various automated chemical or immunodiagnostic analyzers.
In addition, the sample presentation unit of the present invention employs strategically located sensors for the quick detection of a motor jam during operation to avoid mistakes or damages to the samples.
Furthermore, the sample presentation unit of the present invention is capable of reading sample identifications ahead of time to allow information to be downloaded from the main host computer that controls the operation of the immunodiagnostic instrument.
The sample presentation unit of the present invention may be used in connection with any automated chemical or immunodiagnostic analyzers that require sample presentations. Examples of such analyzers include, but are not limited to, Access(copyright) Special Chemistry Analyzer (Beckman Coulter Inc., CA), and SYNCHRON LX(copyright)20 General Chemistry Analyzer (Beckman Coulter Inc., CA), and the like.
The invention is defined in its fullest scope in the appended claims and is described below in its preferred embodiments.